Kathmandu, October 11
A cantilever bridge at Sardibhir in Lokpa, Chum Nubri Rural Municipality, Gorkha, has been swept away by flooding in the Budhi Gandaki River.
According to Laxmi Gurung, deputy chair of Chum Nubri Rural Municipality, the flood that occurred this morning washed away the bridge, bringing movement to and from the lower Chum area to a halt.
“The flood swept away the cantilever bridge. Now, there is no route to the lower Chum area,” she said. “The route will have to be rebuilt from scratch by installing wooden ladders and ropes. Travel to and from many villages in wards 6 and 7 has been disrupted.”
The bridge at Sardibhir is Nepal’s second cantilever bridge. The first is located at Yarubagar in Keraunja, in the same area. The Sardibhir bridge was built with support from the British aid agency, the Department for International Development (DFID). A cantilever bridge is constructed by cutting into a cliff face.
The construction of the bridge made year-round travel easier for residents of Chumchet and Chhekampar, villages bordering Tibet. Before the bridge was built, villagers had to travel by hanging from ropes along the cliff face.
The bridge was 90 metres long.
